Students of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Tiruchy got a rude shock when some of them came back to campus to find their rooms broken into and some of their belongings missing. At least 11 rooms in the girls' hostel at NIT Tiruchy, which had been vacant for months, after students were asked to vacate in March owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, were broken into. The Beryl Hostel for Girls mostly houses PhD scholars.
According to a report by The News Minute, students have been paying maintenance fees of Rs 4,000 even when they were at home. Quoting a student, the report stated that several laptops, e-readers and other electronic devices were among the things stolen.
Speaking to Edex, the Director of NIT-T, Mini Shaji Thomas said, "The security guard noticed the break-in on the evening of December 12 and the authorities were immediately alerted. The Student Council was also informed about this matter, who in turn notified the concerned students." She also stated that while some students have seen their rooms via video call, others have visited their rooms to quantify their losses. "Other students are yet to visit the hostel," she added.
According to the report, students have alleged that they have not received any response from the management regarding the matter.
Thomas states that this particular girls' hostel had been undergoing renovation. The toilets were being renovated and some repairs were being in the common areas, she said. "The institute conducted an internal enquiry and all information regarding the ongoing work, labour details with a copy of their Aadhaar cards, details of the security guard shifts, CCTV footage, details of the entry and exit register at the hostel gate were submitted to the local Police station by the institute's security officer. An FIR has been registered and the police are investigating the matter," Thomas said.
